The adventures of Alice in Wonderland begin as you are greeted by the Cheshire cat upon arrival in the Lewis Carroll suite. The story unfolds as you greet the queen of hearts and others in the bathroom.
Lewis Carroll is the pen name used by Charles Lutwidge Dodgson (January 27, 1832-January 14, 1898). Lewis Carroll was born at Daresbury in Chesire into a wealthy family. He attended a Yorkshire grammar school and Rugby. At Christ Church, Oxford, he studied mathematics and worked from 1855 to 1881 as a lecturer (tutor). Carroll’s career in education was troubled by a bad stammer. He lectured and taught with difficulty and he also preached only occasionally after his ordination in 1861. According to stories, Carroll was shy and he even hid his hands continually in a pair of gray-and-black gloves.
In spite of his stammer, Carroll spoke easily with children, whom he often photographed. He had seven sisters and his attraction to young girls was perhaps more innocent than has been imagined – he also had long friendships with mature women, but this side of his life has remained little examined. However, Karoline Leach has criticized in his book In the Shadow of the Dreamchild (1999) the Freudian mythology and the “strange incestuous kind of immortality” created around the author and the real-life Alice.
Lewis was well educated at Oxford and was a professor and lecturer for the next 30 years of his life writing 11 books on mathematics and 12 on literary fiction. The inspiration for Alice came from a little girl named Alice Liddell. She was the daughter of one of Dodgson’s close friends. He first told Alice Liddell and her sisters the story of Alice in Wonderland while boating across a pond on the 4th of July in 1862.
ROOM FEATURES:
- King bed
- Private bathroom with neo-angled shower
- Kitchen Area with microwave, sink, and mini fridge
- Original sink and faucets
- Monogrammed bathrobes
- Warm bathrobes available upon request
- Gilchrist and Soames bath amenities
- Hairdryer
- Complimentary high-speed wireless internet throughout the room and common areas
- Flat Screen TV
- Roku
- CD Player
- Ice bucket with 2 wine glasses
- Corkscrew opener
- Iron and ironing board
- Wake-up service
- Daily housekeeping service (Year-Round)
- 24-hour access to complimentary drinks- hot chocolate, hot tea, and coffee
- Access to our public library for our guests only. Check out each book is necessary at the front desk
- Located on the 3rd floor
- Free off-street parking (Sept. 1st- June 20th)
The Spencer Hotel & Spa is the #1 rated Chautauqua, NY hotel on TripAdvisor, and the best place to stay for those visiting to enjoy the Chautauqua Institution’s year-round programming. Imagine hearing your favorite speaker or the symphony play while relaxing in comfortable chairs on our porches overlooking the Amphitheater. Our guests enjoy the perfect location and modern conveniences within a whimsical literary-themed setting that encourages relaxation and renewal, including:
- The only building on campus with a full-service elevator
- The only hotel on campus with central air conditioning
- Central location allowing only our guests the ability to hear everything in the Amphitheater from our porches
- For those who love the lake, our location provides a 1 block walk
- On-site restorative cedar sauna
- 3 Course hot home-cooked breakfast served daily is included in the room
- Use of parlor with fireplace, easy chairs, loveseats, and projector
- 4 stories of porches with tables and chairs for all
You may sit on ANY porch at any time! Your place on the porch is waiting!
Occupancy: This room accommodates 3 people (additional $25 per person after 2)
Bed Sizes: King bed
*Please note, during the Chautauqua Summer Season (last Saturday in June through the last Saturday in August) rooms are rented by the week, from Saturday to Saturday. We are open year-round and welcome 2-nights during the rest of the year.
Full-week stays during the 9-week Chautauqua Season include breakfast every day. The Spencer can also assist guests in arranging travel insurance to cover unforeseen circumstances that may cause a guest to cancel their reservation.
